D&D 5E What do you consider "good" ability scores?

[DND_Reborn]

One of my players is DMing tomorrow, and I rolled up 4 sets of stats (I will be playing two PCs) and here are the results (in order):

So, the first three sets have the highest totals, the second with the 8 and 9 might even offer some fun role-play options.

But, they are really good IMO, and it got me to thinking what scores are "good", but not too good, for me to enjoy playing, and I came up with this array: 17, 15, 14, 13, 12, 10

This gives me a +3, two +2's, two +1's and a +0. I can easily play a MAD class.

So, what makes a good array for you?

EDIT: tweaking the array a bit more and now I have: 16, 14, 13, 12, 10, 10; gives me +3, +2, +1, +1, +0, +0 (total +7). With racial ASIs maxes out at +9.

 

[clearstream]

One that supports the concept I'd like to play while being varied in the other respects. I like weaknesses as well as strengths.

So that last array - 9, 16, 12, 15, 4, 8 - would suit me well were I thinking of an Eldritch Knight, Arcane Trickster, or Wizard.

 

[aco175]

In earlier editions, I thought a total of +6 when combined was good. In 5e, I would think the same. Standard array with the 15,14,13,12,10,8 gives 5 before you add the +2/+1 which would generally make +7 total. Anything in the +6 to +8 would be good, some of yours with +12 is a bit above.

 

[DND_Reborn]

One that supports the concept I'd like to play while being varied in the other respects. I like weaknesses as well as strengths.

So that last array - 9, 16, 12, 15, 4, 8 - would suit me well were I thinking of an Eldritch Knight, Arcane Trickster, or Wizard.

I could see an Arcane Trickster well, too.

But man those first rolls were crazy good!

Anything in the +6 to +8 would be good, some of yours with +12 is a bit above.

Yeah, the first and third array were really too much IMO. In AD&D it was great, in 5E it is overkill.

The array I came up with is +9 total, so a bit above your sweet spot; and with racial ASIs could bump you to +11... so still pretty high I guess...

But can you imagine the 1 and 3 rolled arrays with racial ASIs as well?? YIKES!

 

[commandercrud]

Whatever I rolled is great.

 

[Lanefan]

Are we allowed to rearrange these?

If not, then the 4th one is a suicide waiting to happen (probably in the most wonderfuly entertaining of manners) if that Wisdom-4 is honoured in how the character is played. If it were mine to play I'd find some way to make it hilariously entertaining while it lasted, and have a second character on immediate standby as its inevitably-needed replacement. Hmmm...high Dex, extremely low Wis - can anyone else here say "Kender"?

Otherwise, the 2nd set there would make a hella fine Cleric; while the 1st and 3rd sets can be anything they want. In 5e terms the 1st and 3rd sets might be seen as overkill; in 1e they're great.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

If allowed to arrange, then arrays 1 and 3 are good to very good, array 2 is very lopsided (a mix of very good and pretty bad), array 4 is not one I would willingly play. That is, array 4 has some good stats, but it has one really terrible stat and that would bother me a lot.

 

[Minigiant]

There's no such thing as too good scores for roleplay. You don't need low scores to roleplay.

Mechanically is a different story. Arrays 1 & 3 are a little too good. Best not for a beginner DM or a generic game. 4 is a little too bad unless the party is 6+ people. 2 is great.

 

[Lyxen]

There's no such thing as too good scores for roleplay. You don't need low scores to roleplay.

Indeed, just adding that you don't need good ones either.

Mechanically is a different story. Arrays 1 & 3 are a little too good. Best not for a beginner DM or a generic game. 4 is a little too bad unless the party is 6+ people. 2 is great.

I agree, a lot of variability there.

Just to point out, for my latest campaign where I wanted fairness but also a bit of randomness, we used Barflip/Gridflip and it worked like a charm, all the players loved it, the scores are not too high and not too low, there is a bit a thinking in creating the character but randomness is still present, etc.

I can only encourage people to try it.

 

[clearstream]

I could see an Arcane Trickster well, too.

But man those first rolls were crazy good!


Yeah, the first and third array were really too much IMO. In AD&D it was great, in 5E it is overkill.

The array I came up with is +9 total, so a bit above your sweet spot; and with racial ASIs could bump you to +11... so still pretty high I guess...

But can you imagine the 1 and 3 rolled arrays with racial ASIs as well?? YIKES!

+9 in 5e is too high for my taste. The method I use gives characters a +1 to +3 net modifier. No more than +2 on any ability. ASIs can take to a maximum of 18. That results in it being often better to avoid rolling against other parameters of the game as written.